wait staff
Restaurant service team
Wait staff refers collectively to the employees who serve customers in a restaurant, taking orders and bringing food and drinks to tables.
The term emerged as a gender-neutral alternative to waiters and waitresses, though server has become equally common for the same purpose.
Wait staff is typically used as a singular mass noun: The wait staff here is excellent.
The two-word spelling is standard, though waitstaff appears frequently.
One who attends tables
- busboyRestaurant table clearer
- hostessFemale event organizer
- hostOne receiving guests
- maître d'Chief dining room attendant
sommelier · runner · expediter · bartender · barista · captain · food runner · headwaiter
Place serving meals
- caféCasual eatery serving drinks
- bistroInformal small restaurant
- dinerCasual American eatery
- trattoriaCasual Italian restaurant
brasserie · pub · bar · banquet hall · catering · hotel · resort · cruise ship
Paying close notice
- courteousShowing respectful consideration
- responsiveQuick to react
- helpfulGiving useful aid
- promptIncite to action
efficient · professional · friendly · polite · discreet · gracious · accommodating · knowledgeable
Payment beyond the bill
- tip jarContainer for gratuities
- service chargeFee for being served
- appreciationRecognition of worth
- tip poolCombined server earnings distribution
tip out · percentage · cash tip · automatic gratuity · split · earnings · livelihood · wages
server
One who attends tables
maître d' · sommelier · runner · expediter · bartender · barista · captain · food runner · headwaiter · garçon
restaurant
Place serving meals
trattoria · brasserie · pub · bar · banquet hall · catering · hotel · resort · cruise ship · izakaya
attentive
Paying close notice
- courteousShowing respectful consideration
- responsiveQuick to react
- helpfulGiving useful aid
prompt · efficient · professional · friendly · polite · discreet · gracious · accommodating · knowledgeable · patient
gratuity
Payment beyond the bill
- tip jarContainer for gratuities
- service chargeFee for being served
- appreciationRecognition of worth
tip pool · tip out · percentage · cash tip · automatic gratuity · split · earnings · livelihood · wages
serving
Measured food portion
- clearingTreeless space in forest
- refillingRestoring to capacity
- presentingDisplaying to an audience
recommending · bussing · plating · pouring · folding · setting · greeting · seating · checking · upselling
- Restaurant Operationsmenu planning, inventory, food cost, reservations, hostess
- restaurant workserver, chef, cook, dishwasher, busboy
- restaurantsmenu, chef, reservations, table service, waitstaff
- American diningdiners, free refills, doggy bag, tipping, hamburgers
- event servicesevent planner, coordinator, bridal consultant, festival organizer, catering manager
- food workersbutcher, bartender, server, caterer, chef
wait staffkitchen staff
Restaurant food preparers
cooks · chefs · line cooks · prep cooks · sous chefs
wait, staff, waits, waited, waiting, waiter, waitress, staffs, staffed